The experience of staying in a hotel tends to be that of an escape from the hotel-goers’ everyday life. The comedian Martin Short once said, “I pretend I'm one of the royal family when I'm in a hotel and that the hotel belongs to me - it is a palace.” Staying in a hotel is supposed to be special; a standout indulgence inan otherwise normal life.

The small details matter. Take, for example, trash cans. The wrong trash can for your hotel could not only disrupt the décor and feel of your hotel’s interior, but serve as a discouragement to its use. The idea behind a trash can is to create an aesthetically inviting place for your guests to deposit their trash in a convenient and unobtrusive way.

This article will look at why it is important to choose the right trash can for your hotel.

Why It Is Important to Be Discerning

The truth is that most of us do not devote much thought to trash cans. As a business owner, however, trash cans are an important concern. Having the right number and selection of trash cans positioned conveniently means that:

• You are proactively engaging with your guests’ needs, reducing the number of questions and requests that are directed to your staff.
• You are limiting the amount of litter that will collect on your property, improving your site aesthetics.
• You are preventing unsavory situations such as overflowing cans, offensive odors, and unwelcome pests, from distracting from your guests’ experience.

Choosing the Right Trash Can for a Public Area

The right trash can should be positioned alongside regular foot traffic, inviting to use but not attention-stealing, and noticeable but not a distraction. The construction of the can should be strong enough to endure heavy use and wear, of quality material, heavy enough to resist the elements and public wear-and-tear, and user-friendly such that the guest does not have to manipulate an unsanitary lid or door. The right trash can should have sufficient capacity and the right kind of accessibility: a trash can servicing drivers will need chutes so that trash can be thrown in, for example.

Believe it or not, trash cans are also public aesthetic pieces. The beauty and appeal of a trash receptacle can augment a public space the same way artwork or landscaping would. A well-chosen, well-placed trash can would significantly add to the draw of a public area.

Excellent Commercial Trash Cans for Lobbies

Trashcans Unlimited offers the best prices on commercial and decorative trash cans and is a trusted source for all your trash can needs. A look at their offerings for lobby trash cans show these options:

• Glaro’s 16 Gallon Value Half Round Trash or Recycling Can. Available in 29 colors and with numerous lid, messaging, and liner options, this decorative half-moon receptacle offers a low-profile design to add sophisticated flair to any space.
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• Excell Kaiser’s 33 Gallon Perforated Stainless Steel Trash Receptacle. Fully-welded and made of brushed stainless steel, these perforated, flat-lid trash cans make a subtle but firm statement. Equipped with a security cable, this can is vandalism- and theft-proof.
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• Excell Kaiser’s 36 Gallon Kaleidoscope Extra Large Recycling Container Trash Can. Available in four colors, this large and versatile container makes it easy to set up a recycling program for your facility unobtrusively.
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• Glaro’s 29 Gallon Dual Half Round Recycling Trash Can Hinged Lid. Available in 29 colors, this is the largest half-moon trash can of its kind. Designed for indoor/outdoor use, this space-saving model simplifies the need to have multiple trash and recycling cans in one location. 
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• Commercial Zone’s 25 Gallon Stainless Steel Trash Can With or Without Lid Precision Series. With a 360-degree swivel top, this attractive can discourages the stacking of trash or other items on top of it.
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Excellent Indoor Trash Cans for Public Spaces

• Witt Industries’ 48 Gallon Metal Mesh Street Park Trash Receptacle. Available in five colors and seven lid styles, this durable and attractive trash can is both affordable and easily accessible.
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• Commercial Zone’s 25 Gallon ArchTec Parkview Single Outdoor Ash and Trash Can. Functional as both a recycling bin and a trash can, this receptacle adds upscale appeal to any outdoor locale.
• Excell Kaiser’s 40 Gallon Perforated Outdoor Park Trash Can WR-2441 T BLK with Anchor Kit. Vandalism- and theft-resistant, this can is designed to be serviceable and unassuming.
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• Witt Industries’ 40 Gallon Laser Cut Saw Grass Waste Can. With five colors and five lid styles, this attractive designer can is a perfect fit for a landscaped public area.
• Lexcast’s 10 Gallon 2 Way Open Door Lid Concrete Garbage Can. Available in granite gray and river rock brown, these cans are attractive, sturdy, and highquality.
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Excellent Bathroom Trash Cans

• Glaro’s 2 Gallon Floor Standing Sanitizing Wipe Dispenser. Available in 29 colors, this aluminum can has a weighted base and a built-in sanitizer dispenser, making it easier for your guests to prevent the spread of disease. 
• Witt Industries’ 22 Gallon Stainless Steel Rectangular Waste Receptacle. A sleek but classic mainstay, the gravity-activated lid is hygenic and the shape of the bin fits neatly into any floorplan. 
• Glaro’s Bathroom Trash Cans. Available in four sizes and three colors, this simple can contributes to a sanitary bathroom environment for your guests.
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• Glaro’s 12 Gallon Half Round Side Entry Trash Can with Optional Ashtray. Available in 29 colors, this low-profile design adds sophistication to any bathroom.
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• Commercial Zone’s 15 Gallon Half Round Stainless Steel Trash Can Precision Series. The heavy stainless steel of this can is multi-purpose: endure heavy use, remain easy to sanitize with its nonporous surface, and look sleek. 

Important Questions to Ask When Buying Outdoor Garbage Bins

An important, but oft-overlooked, part of trashcan strategy is the outdoor garbage bin. Ultimately, this is where all of your collected trash will be gathered before final disposal, so a failure here can show up in any number of ways throughout your waste disposal cycle.

Improperly calculating your outdoor garbage bin needs can lead to:

• Difficulties in collection and servicing,
• Overflowing and capacity issues,
• Unsanitary runoffs in bad weather,
• Uninvited pests,
• Potential intrusion of trash bins and potential loss of personally-identifiable information,
• Increased need to service and replace receptacles,
• Unfriendly odors, or
• Loss of guests and reputation.

When purchasing an outdoor garbage bin, you should ask:

• What is the expected service life of the bin?
• How often will the bin be serviced? Do your staff need to be trained in how to service it?
• Is the bin made of materials that may be offensive or allergy-provoking to guests?
• Is the bin weather-proof or do you have to provide it some type of shelter?
• Is the bin graded for the weather conditions local to you? For example, if you live in an area with sub-zero or 100 degrees-plus temperatures, is a metal receptacle a good choice?
• Is the bin in compliance with local regulations? If it is for public use, does its placement conflict with the servicing of the area, such as landscaping and plowing?
• Does the bin offer enough capacity for the number of times it will be emptied?
• Are there sharp edges or tight corners that could pinch or cut guests?
• Can the bin be recognized as a bin and not as surrounding décor?
• Is the bin securable?
• In the case of fire, will the bin give off dangerous gases?
• Can a binfire be easily extinguished?
• Is the bin cost-effective?
• Is the bin something that adds rather than distracts from your facility?

George Bernard Shaw once said, “The great advantage of a hotel is that it is a refuge from home life.” Even something as simple as a trash can canadd to the allure of your hotel. It is important to ask the right questions and fully consider your choices in receptacles to guarantee the decision you make is an informed one.